The present invention relates to an information processing system for a cooperative operation, which is used to perform a cooperative operation by a plurality of operators by use of a plurality of work stations while sharing the same display information in common.
When an information processing device such as a work station or the like is used to execute an operation, it can be expected to improve operation efficiency if a plurality of operators are able to execute the operation cooperatively.
In Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 62-209610, there is disclosed an information processing system which includes a plurality of position input means with respect to a common device so as to perform a cooperative operation.
Also, in a network in which a plurality of work stations are connected to one another, it is possible to share display information in common. For this reason, it has been conventionally known that a plurality of operators are able to perform a cooperative operation by use of this function. For example, it has been conventionally known that a plurality of cooperators execute a cooperative operation by performing their respective operations with respect to a window shared in common (see "WYSIWIS Revised: Early Experiences with Multi-user Interfaces," Transactions on Office Information Systems, Vol. 5, No. 2, April 1987, pp. 147-167 ACM Transactions on Office Information Systems).
Referring more particularly to this document, as shown in FIG. 3 of this application, in a network system in which a plurality of work stations 51 and 52 are connected through a network 53 to each other, respectively including processors 51a, 52a, keyboards 51b, 52b, mice 51c, 52c and displays 51d, 52d, there is a common window in the respective display screens of the displays 51d, 52d of the work stations 51, 52, and a cooperative operation is performed by use of the common window. Although not shown in FIG. 3, other work stations are also connected to the network 53.
FIG. 4 shows a common window 55, which is displayed on the display screens 54 of the displays 51d and 52d. Within the common window 55, there are displayed mouse cursors 56 and 57, which are operated by the respective operators. Also, there is displayed in the same common window 55 a pop-up menu 58, which is displayed as a result of the operations of the mouse cursors 56 and 57.
For example, if a user who uses the work station 51 inputs a certain opinion from a position specified by the mouse cursor 56, then the opinion is displayed on the other work stations as well and, therefore, for example, if a user of the work station 52 moves the mouse cursor 57 to a position shown in FIG. 4 to thereby input another opinion, then this opinion is also displayed within the common window 55. In this manner, if anyone executes an operation, then all other operators are able to see the result of the operation.
However, in the conventional cooperative operation system, one of the operators is able to execute a personal operation apart from the will of the whole operators and, therefore, in some cases, it has been difficult to execute the cooperative operation smoothly. For example, when a certain operator has moved data within the common window 55 to another place, other operators who need to see or use the data are not able to get the data because the data is not present in the common window 55 any more.
Also, when a specific operator has personally executed a hierarchical display command so as to confirm the hierarchical structure of information, then a window showing the hierarchical structure is displayed within the common window 55, which hides the information that other cooperators are need to see, so that the other operators are not able to get their necessary information.
As mentioned above, because one operator's operation can prevent other operators's operations, even if one of the operators has an operation to perform, the operator must obtain the approval of all other cooperators before the operator actually executes the operation, which results in a complicated operation. For at least this reason, it has been difficult to carry out the cooperative operations smoothly.